The Thimister Fall 2010 collection (Josephus Thimister opted to show fall versus spring) is a welcome surprise. The couturier behind the line hasn’t shown for 10 years, and given the economic time it could be seen as a questionable entrance back into couture. With his return, Thimister has opted to make quite the statement – in red, as in blood. Hey, if you’re going to come back after a decade, you’ve got to make an impact, right?

Taking off from where the men’s shows in Paris and Milan left off, Thimister seemed heavily inspired by military wear, war, and blood (three reoccurring themes at a number of the men’s shows that just walked). According to style.com, his show was inspired by a photograph of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, Emperor Nicholas II’ s murdered 13-year-old son, who often wore official uniforms. The result could be described as the polar opposite of the romanticism we saw at Armani Prive and at Chanel – think white tank tops splattered with red spray paint meant to mimic a blood wound.

The designer showed both women’s and men’s wear, and many of the more tailored, cream, simplistic pieces had a Calvin Klein meets Helmut Lang feel that seems sellable, though certainly more ready to wear than anything one expects to see at a couture show. That said, there seems to be a yearning from the public for pieces that are easier to wear and less flashy and ostentatious, so I applaud Thimister for mixing both wearable with more avant garde fashion forward pieces all the while maintaining an underling uniting factor.

I was particularly impressed with his knits, which appeared in both accessories (red-accented hats and scarves), sweaters with a diagonal red stripe for both men and women, as well as with outerwear. As a whole I found the collection to be harsh and somewhat intimating given it’s literal interpretation of death and violence (and its prominence of khaki, red, and pieces that literally looked like they could be worn by an army officer – albeit a very stylish one). I suppose that I look to fashion for escapism, and Thimister has perhaps offered just a little too much realism and austerity for my personal taste.